Phrase and Form

A piece is not born whole; it is assembled from small units. The smallest is the motive, and a group of motives makes a phrase.

Tools used in this lesson: Form Viewer / Step Sequencer

Two phrases that answer one another make a period. There is a second design for the same eight measures, built on entirely different principles - the sentence. Both are played here so the difference is audible.

Tools used in this lesson: Form Viewer

Combine several periods and you have the shape of a whole piece. Two principles - contrast and return - are enough to construct binary, rounded binary, and compound ternary forms.

Tools used in this lesson: Form Viewer

Blues and popular music have standard forms too. The same principles of contrast and return apply, but the divisions fall in different places and repetition is treated differently.

Tools used in this lesson: Chord Progression Player